Barrel Re-profiling and or fluting

Hey Guy's,just wanted your thoughts on barrel re-profiling and or fluting on a used barrel, i have a #8 lilja in 338 lapua and i want to cut some weight say to a #6 or #7 fluted ,it has fired only about 60 rounds.Do you think this is possible or will it ruin the barrel in terms of strength and accuracy?

Hey Guy's,just wanted your thoughts on barrel re-profiling and or fluting on a used barrel, i have a #8 lilja in 338 lapua and i want to cut some weight say to a #6 or #7 fluted ,it has fired only about 60 rounds.Do you think this is possible or will it ruin the barrel in terms of strength and accuracy?

If done correctly it should not hurt the barrel but it could change the loading because
of harmonics.

If it is a straight taper a good machinist/smith can set up with a taper attachment and
reduce the diameter to what ever you want. The contours are harder to cut down
but not impossible.

In any case the barrel will have to be re crowned.

If it is a very long barrel you can cut a few inches of the end and reduce the weight
but you will loose a little velocity.

Cost may be close to the price of a new barrel job. If it is a known shooter and has
a minimum of shots down it you could sell it and recoup some of your money.

I had a 31" stainless supermatch heavy target barrel from Pacnor in 338 edge installed on a sleeved remington 700 for 50 shots. I then sold everything but the barrel to a friend. I sent the barrel back to Chris @ Pacnor and he re-contoured it, choped it to 30", re-crowned and rechambered it, and threaded it for my Ruger m77 mk2 stainless. Since the barrel was his he did the work and the shipping for $50.
It shot in the.3's with 300 gr. Sierra Mk new, and it shot in the .3's when I got it back. Different charge af Retumbo is all that changed.
That barrel is chambered in 338 Edge and has exactly 2,186 rounds through it, and it still shoots in the .4's. Last 5 shot group I shot was .447" @ 100 yds.

I'm sure some barrels won't take the stress, but this one was uneffected.
Thats just a few more reasons I am a Loyal customer. I only shoot Pacnor and have for 20 years.

Thanks for the help fellas,i know my smith has a cnc lathe so that would surely make it easier,just wanted some other real life experiences,a new barrel and chamber is about a $1000 down here and i got a quote today for $150 to re-profile it and $130 if i want flutes.

It is my understanding that fluting requires stress relief after it is done. Most folks recommend buying a new rifle already fluted. If it is done after market, accuracy is a toss up.

This is not true. Check directly with someone like Kampfeld - fluting is one of his specialties - no stress relief needed and the last I spoke with him he has NEVER seen accuracy suffer from fluting. He does a LOT of them.